System for the refrigeration of liquids and/or gases

ABSTRACT

The invention consists of a central tube (1) manufactured of high thermal conductivity materials in which a liquid or gas is made to pass at low temperature thus refrigerating other tubes (2) around its periphery also made of high conductivity materials which are in contact with the central tube. The system may be joined and insulated by an external tube (4) of insulating material and which forms a cold chamber (3) among the internal tube (1) and the peripherals (2) which assists the heat exchange. The number and the diameter of the peripheral tubes (2) for heat exchange is a function of the desired capacity and of the number of liquids and/or gases that it is desired to refrigerate at the same time. In order to further increase the efficiency of the system, the peripheral tubes (2) may be wound around the central tube (1), thereby increasing the total difference of the length between the tubes and the performance of the system. The system thus conceived may be maintained in a straight line or wound, permitting easy installation, low cost and manufacturing facility.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a system for the refrigeration ofliquids and/or gases, utilizing permanent elements arranged in onegroup.

The system comprises the utilization of a cluster of tubes made of highthermal conductibility materials, where in the central or internal tubea gas or liquid is made to pass at low temperature and in the tubesaround its periphery the gases or liquids it is desired to refrigeratepass. The tubes may be maintained in contact by an external joining tubemade of plastic or rubber, which, besides exerting pressure to join thetubes together, helps to insulate the group in tubes, and creates agaseous refrigerated atmosphere, which acts as an additional area forheat exchange in the peripheral tubes. Considering that once there issufficient power of refrigeration in the internal tube, the heatexchange will be greater however much greater is the total difference oflengths between the internal tube and the external tubes, the externaltubes may be wound around the internal tube which serves as axis, thusgaining up to 20% of length in relationship to the linear placing of thetubes. The capacity of the system shall be preset and is dependent uponits total length, as well as the difference in diameter between theinternal refrigeration tube and the external refrigerated tubes, itbeing that however smaller (in diameter) the external tubes are inrelationship to the internal tube, the greater shall be the heatexchange.

The system under consideration is extremely safe since there are alwaystwo tubular walls separating the refrigerating liquid and/or gas of theliquids and/or gases to be refrigerated, yet enabling the refrigerationof as many liquids and/or gases as are the number of the externalrefrigerated tubes or only one liquid or gas utilizing appropriateconnections to join the whole refrigerated tube network to the liquidand/or gas tubing in question. The tube cluster thus obtained is easy tothermally insulate and may be maintained stretched as well as curved foreasy installation when required by the particular project, thusobtaining an easily manufactured machine, with low cost, maximum safetyand high performance in relationship to the present refrigeration coils.

In the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment is illustratedwherein;

FIG. 1 shows a transverse section showing the central refrigeration tube(1), the peripheral heat exchanger tubes (2), the auxiliary gasatmosphere for heat exchanging (3), and the external joining andinsulating tube (4).

FIG. 2 shows a transverse section of the system, wherein the centralrefrigeration tube (1), is surrounded by a greater number of peripheralheat exchanger tubes of smaller diameter (2), the auxiliary gasatmosphere for heat exchanging (3) and the external joining andinsulating tube (4).

FIG. 3 shows the peripheral heat exchanging tubes (2) wound around theinternal refrigeration tube (1).

FIG. 4 shows a general view of the group showing the internalrefrigeration tube (1), the peripheral heat exchanging tubes (2), linkedto the multitubular connections (5), and the external joining andinsulating tube (4).

I claim:
 1. Heat exchange system comprising a central internal tubethrough which a refrigerating medium passes,a plurality of external heatexchanger tubes completely surrounding the periphery of said centralinternal tube, each and every heat exchanger tube in surface to surfacecontact with the periphery of said central internal tube through whichthe medium to be refrigerated passes, each and every said heat exchangertube in surface to surface contact with two adjacent ones of said heatexchanger tubes as well as in surface to surface contact with theperiphery of said central internal tube and an outer insulating tubesurrounding and engaging all said external heat exchanger tubes andmaintaining them in contact with each other and in contact with saidcentral internal tube thereby creating a cold chamber enclosing all ofsaid tubes.
 2. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein, saidexternal heat exchanger tubes each contain the same medium to be cooled.3. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein, each saidexternal heat exchanger tube contains a different medium to be cooled.4. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein, said externalheat exchanger tubes are disposed with their axes parallel to the axisof said central internal tube.
 5. A heat exchange system according toclaim 1 wherein, said external heat exchanger tubes are disposedspirally around said central internal tube.
 6. A heat exchanger systemaccording to claim 1 wherein, said central internal tube and externalheat exchanger tubes are of the same diameter.
 7. A heat exchangersystem according to claim 1 wherein, said external heat exchanger tubesare of smaller diameter than said central internal tube.